Description

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Context :

On February 28, 2025, a US Marine Corps (USMC) F35B Lightning II conducted its 1st ever test flights with the Meteor airtoair missile.

Details :

About Meteor Missile:
- Meteor Missile is a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM). This means it is capable of engaging targets at 200 km range & it's speeds exceeding Mach 4.
- It has an active radar seeker, jamming resistant RF proximity fuze, & datalink for midcourse updates.
- This allows it to engage multiple targets in complicated electronic environments.
- This missile was developed by a group of European partners. Which was led by MBDA to meet the needs of 6 European countries: UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain & Sweden.
Global Collaboration:
- The integration of Meteor missiles on the F35B is also a significant development for NATO's defence capabilities.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization

● NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance between countries in Europe and North America.

● Its purpose is to protect the security & freedom of member countries.

How was NATO formed?

● NATO was founded in 1949 in Washington, D.C.

● The original members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK, and the US.

● But there are currently 32 member states—30 European and 2 North American.

● NATO was formed after World War II to counter the expansion of the Soviet Union in Europe.

What does NATO do?

● NATO members agree to defend each other if one another is attacked.

● NATO coordinates military plans and conducts joint military exercises.

● NATO also provides a forum for member and partner countries to consult on political and security issues.

NATO Headquarters :

● NATO's headquarters is in Brussels.

Representatives from all member countries meet at the headquarters to make decisions. NATO's role in the post-Cold War era.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, NATO expanded its activities to political and humanitarian situations.

NATO has intervened in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.

Source: ET

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Which of the following statements about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is NOT correct ?

a) NATO was established primarily to counter the expansion of the Soviet Union after World War II.

b) NATO headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., where the organization was founded.

c) A core principle of NATO is collective defense, meaning member states agree to defend each other if attacked.

d) In the post-Cold War era, NATO has expanded its role to include addressing political and humanitarian crises.

Answer: b)

Explanation :

● b) While NATO was founded in Washington, D.C., its headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium.

● c) A core principle of NATO is collective defense, meaning member states agree to defend each other if attacked.

● Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty establishes the principle of collective defense

● d) In the post-Cold War era, NATO has expanded its role to include addressing political and humanitarian crises.

● After the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO's mission evolved to encompass broader security challenges, including interventions in conflicts like those in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.